After making 10 straight appearances in the postseason, the Hawks recognized that streak was in danger of coming to an end and decided to lean into it with a full-fledged rebuild. As a result, Atlanta’s win total dipped by nearly 20 games in 2017/18, as the team finished with a 24-58 record, tied for the NBA’s third-worst mark. The Hawks should have cap flexibility going forward, but they’re still fully immersed in the rebuilding process, meaning they’re more likely to use cap room to accommodate bad contracts in trades than to make a splash in free agency.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Hawks financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Guaranteed Salary
- Kent Bazemore ($18,089,887)
- Dennis Schroder ($15,500,000)
- Miles Plumlee ($12,500,000)
- Taurean Prince ($2,526,840)
- Jamal Crawford ($2,304,226) — Waived
- John Collins ($2,299,080)
- DeAndre’ Bembry ($1,634,640)
- Tyler Dorsey ($1,378,242)
- Total: $56,232,915
Player Options
- Dewayne Dedmon ($6,300,000)
- Mike Muscala ($5,000,000)
- Total: $11,300,000
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Isaiah Taylor ($1,544,951)1
- Tyler Cavanaugh ($1,378,242)2
- Antonius Cleveland ($1,378,242)3
- Jaylen Morris ($1,378,242)
- Total: $5,679,677
Restricted Free Agents
- Malcolm Delaney ($3,125,000 qualifying offer / $3,250,000 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Damion Lee ($1,537,872 qualifying offer / $1,537,872 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $4,787,872
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Mike Muscala ($9,500,000): Bird rights (if player option is declined)
- Dewayne Dedmon ($8,280,000): Non-Bird rights (if player option is declined)
- No. 4 overall pick ($5,864,636)4
- No. 19 overall pick ($2,231,755)
- No. 30 overall pick ($1,606,717)
- Total: $27,483,008
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Projected Cap Room: $33,401,355
- For our Hawks’ cap projection, we’re assuming that both Dedmon and Muscala decline their player options, which isn’t necessarily a lock (Dedmon appears more likely to opt out than Muscala). We’re also assuming the team waives all its non-guaranteed players and renounces its free agents, which is hardly a sure thing either.
- In that scenario, the Hawks’ seven guaranteed contracts, three first-round picks, and two cap charges for empty roster spots result in a team salary of $67,598,645. That’s nearly enough to accommodate any maximum-salary free agent, though Atlanta is unlikely to be in the market for any players of that caliber.
Footnotes:
- Taylor’s salary becomes guaranteed for $300K after June 22, then fully guaranteed after July 27.
- Cavanaugh’s salary becomes guaranteed for $450K after May 15, then fully guaranteed after July 7.
- Cleveland’s exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
- The Hawks are fourth in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking anywhere from No. 1 ($8,095,595) to No. 7 ($4,403,246).
Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I think the best move for the Hawks would be a long term deal with one of the three young slightly disappointing centers. I could see a “Tim Hardaway-type” surprise long term deal for one of Alex Len, Nerlens Noel, or Jahlil Okafor. I could see that turning out well too. If they add a wing with the #4 pick and a back up PF with the #19 and the BAP at #30, they might surprise some people next year.
PG – Schroder, Delaney
SG – #4/Bazemore, Lee, Dorsey
SF – #4/Bazemore, Prince/Bembry
PF – Collins, #19
C – Len/Noel/Okafor, Plumlee
The Hawks are not in position to draft for Position! Wherever the Hawks puck they need to take the best available player! NO player on this team is good enough where you pass up the talent in this draft. So if it’s Bagley, pick Bagley! Ayton, pick Ayton! Donic, pick Donic! Porter, pick Porter! Young, take Toung! Take the best available player, period!
If asking for my picks if available I’d take M. Bagley, A. Simmons, and DiVincenzo/G.Allen/or Brunson with our last pick. I say those because I think those will be the best available players when we pick ( although truth be told I’m a Bagley guy). If Donic or Porter slide as some mocks are projecting it may be extremely wise of the Hawks to use they’re other two 1rst and a player to make an attempt at grabbing one of them. As I believe both could be better than what we have on the wing. But I would on know shape or fours draft for position! Our best three players for the future are Schroder, Prince, and Collins in that order. None of them warrant passing on the superior talent at the top of this draft!
I do like your idea of signing Noel. I’ve wondered myself of what the Hawkscwould have to spend to get him. He’ll be unrestricted, so we should at least make a legit offer. He at one point was stellar defensively and incredibley athletic. He’s also just 23/24 so there’s still some opportunity he could develop in to a Horace Grant / Al Horford type player on the pick and role. With lobs and the elbow jump shot. Alex Len interest me some, Okafor not so much!
Typing from my phone….. apologies for the spelling and grammar mistakes!
Why is nobody talking about Dedmon– is he assumed to be gone?
Nerlens Noel is rubbish. He doesn’t swell up. Things like basketballs and people fly right past him. Dedmon is better.
Dedmon will likely opt out and get a decent contract from a contender. Is he better than Noel today? YES! Will he be better in 3 years when we could be making our push? I don’t think so.
Noel still has a tremendous amount of untapped potential. I think the right coach/situation could bring it out of him.
Totally disagree. If you are picking at #10, then BAP is the best bet. If you are picking in a weaker class, then BAP is the best bet. This year at #4, you take a wing. There are enough potentially great players in this class that you can be selective. The difference between Bagley, Ayton, Porter, Young, and several others is not that big. You still have to get lucky for them to blossom into a superstar anyway. It is much more likely for that to happen if they have an avenue to a starting position immediately. Drafting a player in a position where you already have part of the future only extends your rebuild an additional year. And next year, you’d likely still need help in the position you could have drafted this year.
Ideally, the #4 pick BAP will probably be a wing. Doncic scares me, but not as much as Porter scares me. I’d go Doncic. Although I guess you could go with one of the big men like Bagley or Ayton if they fall or the Hawks move up in the lottery. Then instead of signing a big man in FA, you could sign a wing like Mario Hezonja or KCP and hope a change of scenery could help them blossom.
At #19, Robert Williams would be THE perfect fit. At #30, I’d probably take an international “draft and stash” type or go with a really high upside/ high bust chance pick like Hamidou Diallo and keep him in the G League for 2 years.
I am in agreement with you in the order of Noel, Len, Okafor. Noel would be #1 choice. Len would be an “at the right price” sort of guy. Okafor would be a “last call” sort of pick up. Mainly because he would be the only one left in the bar at last call.
Kent Bazemore is going to be making $18M+ and Plumlee at $12M?
Wow thats bad, good luck with that
On a side not. NBadraft.net has Donic falling to us with Ayton, Bagley, and Jackso Jr., going 1,2,3. A. Simmons with our 19th pick, McCoy with the 30th and Tony Carr with the 35 th. If that happens, I can see them make my Schroder available in the near future.